US - President Donald Trump took off for Scotland on Friday for his latest presidential trip mixing business and golf. Trump plans to visit his two golf properties in Scotland: First, he’s golfing this weekend at Trump...
Turnberry, before heading to Trump International Scotland in Aberdeenshire, where he’ll participate in a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of a second 18-hole golf course on his property.
While the White House calls it a “working visit” — Trump will meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen — the trip is the president’s latest example of using the trappings of the White House to promote and enrich his businesses while in office.
In his first term, Democrats cried foul at Trump’s Washington, DC, hotel, which became a popular destination for foreign delegations to spend money. The blowback was strong enough that in 2019, Trump scrapped the idea of hosting a G7 meeting at his Doral, Florida, resort. But in his second term, Trump has shown a greater willingness to openly accept gifts from foreigners and foreign governments alike. And to find ways to profit.
The president has already made millions from his family’s cryptocurrency ventures, foreign investments, private clubs and the sale of a host of Trump-branded products, according to his latest financial disclosure documents. Trump made more than $1.3 million from Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” Bible, $2.5 million from Trump sneakers and fragrances, $2.8 million selling “Trump Watches,” and more than $1 million on a “45” guitar, a popular moniker referring to his first term as the 45th president. And then there’s Trump Mobile, a wireless service with monthly plans and a $499 smartphone. His companies continue to ink foreign deals. CNN reported in May that the Trump family’s business ties to the Middle East have more than tripled since the president’s first term in office, including several new projects since Trump returned to the White House. (CNN)